Great Leaders Balance High Challenge With High Support
I have previously written about how great leaders create a safe container in which people can grow and learn. For instance, this article draws from some of my favourite writers on leadership, and how they each talk about this delicate balance. I don’t know where I first came across this chart, but now I refer…
Keep reading
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Difficult Conversations
Recall the four aspects of Emotional Intelligence in Daniel Goleman’s model: Self Awareness Leaders need to be aware of the emotions they are bringing into a conversation. They have to understand their moods, emotions and drives and their effect on others. They need to realize the stories they have made up about a situation that…
Keep reading
The Neuroscience of Psychological Safety
I’m a nerd for both neuroscience and leadership, so you can just imagine how jazzed I was when I found out about the NeuroLeadership Institute! The term NeuroLeadership was coined by its CEO David Rock, and he has also written Quiet Leadership, Your Brain at Work, and Coaching with the Brain in Mind. A model…
Keep reading
How Leaders can Cultivate Development in Others
Personal growth and development is hard and painful. It can be scary. We often know where we need to improve and even how to do it, but we still face resistance to getting started. Developmental psychology acknowledges that the evolution of the self can be painful and distressing because it involves leaving behind, or losing,…
Keep reading
Coaching as a Mindfulness Practice
I’m noticing that my meditation practice is informing my coaching practice and vice-versa, in a virtuous cycle. This makes perfect sense in my own mind, but let’s see if I can put it into words! For starters, I think of meditation as one type of mindfulness practice. In my Psych degree I reviewed some research…
Keep reading
The actual, underlying reason you’re trying (and failing) to keep everyone happy
My friend Dave started mentioning a new word a little while back. In the context of leadership, he would say “differentiated” or “undifferentiated”. These words would often be accompanied by the concept of anxiety in leaders and organizations. I got the idea just enough to stay with the conversation. Something along the lines of people…
Keep reading
Last week, I was mentioned in a newspaper article. Or, rather, I wasn’t mentioned.
The article talked about me and one of the worst experiences of my life, but described me only as “the wife of a fellow soldier”. I had a really strong response to this. I had to go for a hard run before I could begin processing it. I slept on it and received support from…
Keep reading
The Battle to Deliver Aid into a War Zone
In a war zone, it’s hard to deliver aid to people who need it most. Same as with a natural disaster – earthquakes and floods – the donations pour in, but it is very difficult to effectively use those funds on the ground. When you donate money to an NGO, some of it is eaten…
Keep reading
To those who ask what women could possibly contribute the Armed Forces since men have done very well on their own since the beginning of time…
Canadian Army Brigadier-General Jennie Carignan OMM MSM CD gave the keynote speech at the Canada 150 Servicewomen’s Salute Dinner at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa ON. Here is a transcript*: Having women involved in all domains of society has created wealth for our homeland. Countries where men and women both share and contribute equally…
Keep reading
I’ve been asked what I would like to hear in the apology to survivors of Military Sexual Trauma tomorrow
Just a couple of weeks ago, the official date was set for the formal apology to survivors of Military Sexual Trauma. Since then I’ve been asked, and thought a lot about, what I hope to hear. What I’d like to hear is a fullsome and accurate understanding of the harm that has been done to…
Keep readingSomething went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Annalise 